The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-09-21

Anton Saverne, a Belgian cablnet.:
maker employed at Kensington ship
yard, has the wonderful power of pro-
ducing electric sparks by rubbing his
fingers. Saverne is little, swarthy fell
low, about forty years old, with a bushy,
head of black hair, keen blue eyes-very
rare among his countrymen-and very
small hands. His motions prove that he
is excessively nervous, and his senses Of
hearing, sight, and smell, as lie assured
reporter of the Daily Neus yesterday,
are unusually acute. His parents still
live on farm in Belgium, near Brussels,
and he is the youngest of family OF
eleven children. Ssla 81
II know not how I do it." he said last
evening, as the reporter saw sparks shoot
from Saverne's fingers. The cabinet
maker rubbed his finger tips rapidly up
and down upon his trousers. Then, hold
ing his hands out with the fingers widely.
extended, jets of tiny yellow flames, or
long sparks, shot out. They seemed pro-
PEELED by some unseen force ten or twelve
inches into the air, when they vanished:
The right hand appeared more charged
with electricity, if the sparks are elec--
trio, than the left. The lamp in Saverne's
front room was put out so that the sparks
might be seen in all their brilliancy. H
was wonderful sight. Again and again
did the bushy-headed Belgian rub his
fingers and hold them out while tiny
showers of bright sparks darted out as If
from toy fireworks.
II was not always so," said Saverne,
lighting the lamp and his black pipe,
filed with villainous tobacco at the same
time. "When I had been sick ten years
ago it was said I would die. lay 80
weak one night in my fathers house
when there came up a storm. Such
thunder and lightning I never knew be-
fore. And my body had such queer sem
sations. While I lay, covered up with
bedclothes, my mother sat holding her
face in her hands by my side, and /
seemed to feel thousand needles prick
ing my limbs and chest and the soEes OF
nv feet. 1t was not so painful, for queer
thrills came with every prick and when
the thunder rolled away aud the rain
stopped Irose up, leaned back, and put
out my hand to take that of my moth
er's. My eyes were closed. but heard
her cry, sAntonn
"'What2 1 gasped weakly.
"sYour hand
81 looked ut it. The lone nearest to
her. 1t was all aflame. was terrified.
My cry brought my father and sisters TO-
the room. They looked atmei in herrozs
I took my other hand from the eiotheA
to rub the right. Sparks shot from the
fingers of the left. Soon they died
away, but have only to rubmy hands as
YOU have seen and the lights oome:"
Saverne told of the hardships brought
upon him by his singular faculty. The
mel ghboring peasants in Belgium avoided
him and told awful stories of his being
in league with the devil. Men would
not hire him to plow or in harvest time.
His own family clung to him, but the
farm was small and he came'to'this coun--
try five years ago. Here he'learned the
cabinet-making trade and got employ
ment at finishing ship interiors, But
when his companions saw his faculty or
fntirmity they treated him. coldly. His
ignorant neig ghbors in Schleswig street
regard him as possessed of an evil spirit:
Savernes electric fingers are the curse OF
bis xistence.-Philadelphia Rress-